September 20, 2026
Steve Roberts/Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) scores a touchdown during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium.
Looks like it's going to be another one of those years for the Eagles where every game, no matter the opponent, forces you into the medicine cabinet for the Pepto.
The Eagles were seriously headed for another loss in Nashville on Sunday, to a Titans team that got whacked by the Jets in Week 1, before rallying on their final drive to ahead on Jalen Hurts' touchdown pass to Darius Cooper. They escaped with a 24-20 win that felt too close for comfort, like their Week 1 win against the Commanders.
Down 20-17 with less than two minutes to play, Hurts marched the offense from its own 35-yard-line and into the end zone, as Cooper's three-yard TD catch from Hurts with 14 seconds to play as the Eagles secured their first ever win at Nissan Stadium in their last trip there and started the season 2-0, with a slim six-point win margin in the two games.
The grade is heavily weighted by the 9-play, 65-yard drive on the final possession that delivered the win for the Eagles. Because before that, the offense was sporadic.
The big question was if the modified offensive line with Drew Kendall starting at center and Cam Jurgens moving to left guard would hold up, especially against Jeffery Simmons. Run blocking wasn't very good – although Saquon Barkley being out most of the first half with a shoulder stinger didn't help – and pass pro had lots of issues.
Somehow, the Eagles overcame them.
Rushing offense
Saquon Barkley missed most of the first half with a shoulder stinger but returned in the second to find that run blocking hadn't gotten any better. Eagles running backs found no holes and averaged less than three yards per carry against a Titans defensive front that allowed 152 rushing yards in Week 1 to the Jets. The decision to reconfigure the o-line with Jurgens at left guard and Kendall at center should be reevaluated this week.
Passing offense
The Titans wanted to make Jalen Hurts "play quarterback," and found out that doing so can be both rewarding and costly. Hurts threw a terrible interception on the opening drive but came back and made several big-time throws from the pocket, including a 3rd-and-long strike to Makai Lemon, a dart to Tay Wicks on 3rd-and-12 while getting clobbered by Jeffery Simmons and a gorgeous toss to DeVonta Smith for a 22-yard TD on 2nd-and-19.
After halftime, with Dallas Goedert out from a knee injury, things changed. Protection faltered, Hurts was forced outside the pocket a lot, he got hit a lot, and then lost his touch. He threw another pick while getting hit that allowed Tennessee to go ahead, but then led a terrific comeback on the final drive, playing almost entirely from the pocket.
For the second straight week, the Eagles allowed big plays in the second half because of a sputtering pass rush that really misses Jonathan Greenard and had some surprising lapses in the secondary. For all the talent they have on this side of the ball, the Eagles haven't played to that talent level and have let teams hang around too long.
Rushing defense
The Eagles were surprisingly loose against Titans RB Tony Pollard and really hurt themselves when they allowed Tyjae Spears to gain 27 yards on 3rd-and-22 in the fourth. There was also sloppy tackling from Zack Baun and Andrew Mukuba on a Pollard 18-yard run. The Titans have a below average offensive line. The Eagles can't claim to have a great defense and allow more than 110 rushing yards to Titans RBs.
Passing defense
Cam Ward found his rhythm after halftime, especially in the play action game, helped by an ineffective Eagles pass rush that let Ward get comfortable way too often. Ward found Wan'Dale Robinson and Calvin Ridley for big plays in the third quarter on a TD drive that tied the game. Ward fooled the Eagles with a play action rollout to his left that turned into a rushing TD as OG Peter Skronski served as the barricade Ward needed to get inside the left pylon. The most damaging connection came when Ward found Elic Ayomanor on the right side off play action that became a 41-yard gain when Ayomanor hurled Marcus Epps. This will need to improve with much better offenses ahead in the next three weeks.
Jake Elliott made what seemed like a huge field goal at the time when he connected on a 58-yard kick. Braden Mann again was great, averaging 55 yards per punt and twice pinning the Titans inside their own 20.
Nick Sirianni's decision to fly early into Nashville didn't hurt the Eagles but also didn't seem to help them. Sirianni accepted a penalty on Tennessee's final drive that pushed the Titans further from field goal range but gave the Titans a repeat down, but it's not his fault the defense allowed a 27-yard run on third down.
As for Sean Mannion and his staff, there were too many protection breakdowns and free rides to Hurts. They had that in Week 1 as well. Mannion and OL coach Chris Kuper need to get better in this department. But the final touchdown was a well-drawn play that had Cooper wide open in the back of the end zone for the game-winner.
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